The District 25 Dish

This edition of the District Dish features the following

• Superintendent Message
• UPDATE: Strategic Plan Refresh
• Need 2 Know
• Update: District 25 Website Refresh
• Early Childhood Program | Lottery Form
• Calendar Updates
• 25-26 Calendar - UPDATED
• Calendario 25-26 - ACTUALIZADO
• Release of the 26-27 Calendar
• Safety & Supports
• Community Supports Page - Food Supports
• Celebrate with Us!
  
• Community Events
  

• Feel Good Story

• REEL: Peer Mediators at Windsor
• Help Needed | We are hiring!
  Click here for positions!
• Instagram | @ahsd25social
  
• Board of Education
• Strategic Plan Hub
• #d25ItsPersonal

Thank you! Click around and enjoy!

Dear District 25 Families,

As we enjoy the midst of winter break and the holiday season, I want to pause and thank our entire District 25 community for a strong and meaningful first half of the school year.

So much meaningful work has already taken place, from the learning happening in our classrooms each day to the thoughtful collaboration underway as we continue our Strategic Plan Refresh. This season also brought moments of joy and connection through our band and choir concerts, which highlighted the talents of our students and the dedication of our staff. These experiences remind us that learning in District 25 is enriched by the arts and the shared celebrations that bring our community together.

Most importantly, our students and staff deserve this time away. I hope these days offer rest, renewal, and time to connect with family and loved ones.

Thank you for all you do for our students and community. Enjoy the remainder of winter break, and I look forward to seeing you soon.

Together Today 2 Transform Tomorrow,

Dr. Brian Kaye
Superintendent

Thank you to everyone (parents/guardians, staff, & middle school students) who recently participated in our Strategic Plan Refresh survey. Your input is invaluable and will directly inform our work when we gather in January for our Vision Retreat.

Following winter break, we will share another survey inviting the community to review and provide feedback on the outcomes of our Data Retreat. We are committed to engaging our District 25 community throughout this process and appreciate your continued partnership along the way.

As always, you can track our progress and learn more about the Strategic Plan Refresh at www.sd25.org/StrategicPlan.

Our new District 25 website launched on Monday and is designed to enhance the user experience, especially when viewed on mobile devices.

As with any large transition, some links may not have transferred properly. If you experience any issues with the new site or would like to share feedback, please click the Website Feedback button at the top of any District page or email Adam Harris, Head of Communications & Storytelling, at aharris@sd25.org.

Thank you for your patience and partnership as we continue improving how we share information with our community.

Our District 25 Early Childhood Program offers preschool classes Monday - Thursday in the morning (9:10 am - 11:40 am) and afternoon (12:50 pm - 3:20 pm) at a tuition cost of $450/month (for 9 months) following the D25 school calendar. We offer a lottery for the open tuition spots. Click here to complete the 2026-27 Lottery Form. The lottery is open until 4:00 pm on February 12, 2026.

For more information please refer to our website SD25 Early Childhood, stop by our booth at the Arlington Heights Memorial Library Preschool Information Night on February 4th, or contact us at 847-398-4211.

Last year, we shared a letter reaffirming District 25’s belief, aligned with the Illinois State Board of Education, that schools should be safe havens where students can learn without fear.

Earlier this year, we resent that guidance to our front office staff and building administrators on how to manage situations should Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) or other immigration representatives come to our schools. Our priority remains ensuring that every child and family feels safe, valued, and supported in District 25.

👉 Read Dr. Kaye’s full letter from last year, here.

🔗🔗 Updated Resources:
Illinois Immigration Information Hub:

• Know Your Rights Toolkit
• Free and Low-Cost Legal Services
• A family emergency plan template, with step-by-step guidance
• Organizational preparedness resources for businesses and employers

In an immigration emergency, call the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Right's Family Support Network Hotline to get support in English, Spanish, Korean, and Polish (1-855-HELP-MY-FAMILY/1-855-435-7693).

Winter Break | All Schools Closed

• December 22, 2025 – January 2, 2026

School Improvement Day | Staff Only

• January 5, 2026

Superintendent Office Hours

• January 13, 2026, 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm

2nd Quarter Ends | Middle School

• January 16, 2026

Martin Luther King Jr. Day | All Schools Closed

• January 19, 2026

School Board Meeting

• January 20, 2026

Progress Reports Issued | Middle School

• January 23, 2026

At the Tuesday, July 15, 2025 Board of Education meeting, a change to the 2025-2026 school year calendar was approved. The School Improvement Day originally scheduled for Monday, April 6 was moved to Tuesday, March 17. This means:

• March 17, 2026 → No school for students

• April 6, 2026 → Students will attend school

For more details on the change, click here for a letter sent to our community on July 17, 2025.

📅 View the updated calendar here:

• 25-26 School Calendar | English
• Calendario escolar 25-26 | Español

At the December 16, 2025 Board of Education meeting, the Board approved the 2026-2027 calendar. Check out the links below for more information:

• 2026-2027 Calendar
• 2026-2027 Calendar (Español)
• Letter to D25 Community

Have you ever visited our SAFE25 page? We invite you to check it out!

Ensuring the safety of our students and staff is our top priority. We are committed to creating and maintaining secure environments where learning can thrive.

School safety is an ongoing process, and your input is invaluable. Share your feedback with us at safe25@sd25.org. Together, we can build a safer future for our students.

The Standard Response Protocol (SRP) is our district’s approach to managing all types of hazards or emergencies that may occur on school property. It provides a clear, consistent framework for how we communicate and respond to keep everyone safe.

Residents can opt to register their security cameras with the AHPD to assist in investigations. More details: Connect Arlington Heights Camera Registration.

Link Together Coalition Mission: Promote healthy youth, families, and communities by decreasing teen alcohol and drug use through education, advocacy, and access to community resources, and policy awareness, implementation, and change.

Working with D25: South and Thomas Middle Schools are provided with prevention initiatives that are targeted at youth to empower them to be drug and alcohol free.

Lets Talk More: In the past year, 52% of Wheeling Township high school students answered YES that their parent/guardians have talked to them about not using alcohol. See attached PDF below to learn more.

For more information and resources, visit our Parent Academy page.

District 25 is a partner in the Link Together Coalition, which gives our community access to the Glenbard Parent Series. Please check out the various Glenbard Parent Series presentations that work to engage top experts, parents, and school staff to become proactive and informed in pursuit of the mutual goal of strengthening our communities. Programs are free and open to the public. No registration required.

District 25 is committed to supporting the whole child and their family. We’ve created a new webpage to share community resources that offer assistance with food, housing, health services, and more. Visit the community supports page by clicking here to explore support options.

Care Solace is a free, confidential 24/7/365 Mental Health Care Coordination Service.

Call (888) 515 - 0595, or go to caresolace.com/site/northcook to complete a brief screening to be matched with a provider. Available for students, families and staff.

For more resources, visit our parent academy page: www.sd25.org/ParentAcademy.

BEACON (Behavioral Health Care and Ongoing Navigation) is a centralized resource for Illinois youth and families seeking services for behavioral health needs. It’s common for young people to struggle with behavioral and/or mental health challenges. Please know you are not alone, and neither is your child. Click HERE for support.

Christmas is a federal holiday celebrated as a religious and cultural celebration in all states and territories as well as across the world. Celebration includes time with loved ones, gifts and a feast.

Kwanzaa is a seven day, African American cultural festival dedicated to the 7 principles: unity, self determination, collective work and responsibility, cooperative economics, purpose, creativity, and faith.

Celebrated from December 26, 2025 - January 1, 2026

January 1 the start of a new year. It is marked significantly with fireworks at midnight, New Year's resolutions, new beginnings and friends and family.

Christmas is celebrated on this day by those who follow a different calendar. Some Countries include Belarus, Egypt, Ethiopia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Serbia, Russia and Ukraine.

A federal holiday that observes the birthday of the Civil Rights leader, minister and winner of the 1964 Nobel Peace Prize.

(Dr. king’s Actual birthday is January 15. This holiday is celebrated on third Monday in January, each year.)

Below a snapshot of upcoming local events that may be of interest to students and families. For a complete list of activities and details, please visit each organization’s website.

Take a “Step in Time” and join us for a free family movie night in the Camelot Park gym! We’re screening the original Mary Poppins and celebrating AHPD 1960’s era as part of our 100th Year Anniversary. Bring a chair or blanket and enjoy the timeless songs, magical moments and spoonfuls of fun that have made this classic a favorite for generations.

The event is free, but space is limited and all children must be registered and accompanied by a registered adult. Be sure to reserve your spots in advance for supercalifragilistic-fun! Doors open at 6:30PM and the movie begins at 7PM.

When: January 2, 2025 | 7:00 P.M. - 9:00 P.M.

Where: Camelot Park Gym

Learn more here.

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Celebrate the end of one year and the exciting beginning of another with a thrilling performance by Smarty Pants and his Big Balloon Show! It's much more than just “kids” entertainment with eye-popping, larger than life balloon creations and fun for all. Stick around for the countdown and balloon drop as we celebrate Happy NOON Year together!

Ages 2-6, siblings welcome. Caregiver required. Drop In With Limited Capacity.

When: January 1, 2026 11 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

Where: Full Hendrickson Room

Who: Ages 2 - 6 with siblings welcome

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Learn more about adult education offered by District 214!

Click here to learn more: https://www.ce.d214.org/

Our Peer Mediator Club trains 4th & 5th graders to support classmates through conflict resolution…and they take that responsibility proudly out to recess each day. 🦺✨ Two of our student mediators even share how the club has helped them grow in understanding emotions and supporting others. Truly inspiring. 🌟 We’re so proud of this program and everything it represents in District 25.

#d25ItsPersonal

District 25 is a great place to work — with opportunities to inspire, support, and impact students in a variety of roles. Whether you're in the classroom, behind the scenes, or on the front lines of support, there's a place for you here.

Explore opportunities at www.sd25.org/apply and see how you can make a difference in our schools and community!

Our Peer Mediator Club trains 4th & 5th graders to support classmates through conflict resolution…and they take that responsibility proudly out to recess each day. 🦺✨

Two of our student mediators even share how the club has helped them grow in understanding emotions and supporting others. Truly inspiring. 🌟

We’re so proud of this program and everything it represents in District 25.

#d25ItsPersonal

Our Board Agendas are made public 48 hours before each Board meeting and can be accessed via our BoardDocs online program. To access Diligent Community, visit our website: www.sd25.org/BoardAgenda or click here.

What: School Board Meeting

When: Tuesday, January 20, 2026*

Where: Dunton Administration Building, 1200 S. Dunton Avenue, Arlington Heights

*The meeting will begin at 6:15 p.m. at which time the Board will move into Closed Session until approximately 7:00 p.m. Following Closed session, the Regular Open meeting will begin.*

Description

This meeting will be live streamed via YouTube. The link for this can be found on the Board Agenda page (www.sd25.org/school-board/attendameeting#BOELivestream) the week of the meeting.

This meeting will allow audience members in the room. Notice: We’ve switched from BoardDocs to Diligent Community for board meeting management. All future agendas, packets, and board materials will now be available through Diligent Community.

Public Comments:

Anyone who wishes to make a public comment can do so, in person, at our Board of Education meetings. The Board hosts two public comment opportunities on their agenda: 1) at the beginning of the meeting, prior to any agenda items; 2) at the end of the meeting after the agenda items have been discussed/presented.

The Board can be reached outside of Board meeting hours by emailing boardfeedback@sd25.org.

Our Strategic Plan Refresh is underway! To keep track of our progress, or to look back on our previous plan, please visit our Strategic Plan Hub on our website.

• The Journey (Recap of the 21-25 Strategic Plan)

Our teachers teach from a personal place. #d25ItsPersonal has become a way for our teachers and staff to share daily occurrences, and reasons why they do what they do for a living, and why it's fulfilling, right here in District 25.

Together Today 2 Transform Tomorrow

Website: www.sd25.org
Location: 1200 South Dunton Avenue
Phone: (847) 758.4900
Facebook: facebook.com/ahsd25
Twitter: @ahsd25

Instagram: @ahsd25social